Combined closure and applicator



Dec. 8, 1942. R. E. m culs'roN' ETAL I COMBINED CLOSURE AND APPLICATOR Filed Oct. '22. 1940 mermfmvwm Patented Dec. 8,1942 2 1 COMBINED CLO SURE AND APPLIOATOR Robert E. McCuiston, Greensboro, N. 0., and Herman 0. West, Narberth, Pa., assignors to Vick Chem'icalCompany, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October 22, 1940, Serial No. 362,288

.2 Claims. (Cl. 221148) This invention relates to a combined closure and applicator of the general character used primarily, but not necessarily, for medicines such as are applied drop by drop to the nose and/or throat.

A primary object of this invention is the development of an improved combined closure and applicator of the type disclosed in Yates and DeLaney Patent 2,092,792, issued September 14, 1937, and the objects set forth in said patent also constitute objects of this invention.

An additional object is the provision of a closure of the character described adapted to hold a dropper tube in securely related assembly at all times.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

The invention therefore consists in the combination of elements, arrangement of parts, and features of construction all as will be hereinafter disclosed, and shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an enlarged view in central, vertical section showing the invention applied to a bottle or container; and

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, the invention essentially comprises a closure cap I0, a one piece rubber or other elastic element II, and a dropper tube I2 carried by the latter, all constituting a unit adapted for application and removal to or from a bottle or container I3.

Cap I may be made of any suitable relatively rigid material, for instance, sheet metal, and has screw threads at I4, engaging corresponding screw threads at I5 on the neck of the bottle I3.

Cap l0 also has an upper wall I6 which has a central opening at H and which wall is upwardly and inwardly bulged by doming or curving the same as shown.

In constructing the metal cap III, the top l6 thereof extends inwardly in a horizontal plane as at l8 and is then bulged or domed slightly upwardly as at I9, after which the wall or top I6 again extends inwardly in a horizontal plane as at 20.

The elastic body II is preferably made in a single piece and has a bulb 2| which extends through the opening in cap Ill and a basal flange 22 extending outwardly and disposed under, and marginally engaging top wall I6. Bulb 2| also has slightly above basal flange 22, an exterior peripheral bulge or protuberance 23 which is engaged by the outer surface of the top or wall I6.

Interiorly of elastic member I I there is formed a groove 24 bevelled as at 25 to provide an interior annular rib 26 spaced above exterior protuberance 23. The function of this rib 26 is twofold. It serves to define the compressible limit of the bulb 2| at its lower portion when said bulb is being used to fill the dropper tube I2 or expel the contents therefrom and plays .a further part in the complete assembly as hereinafter described.

Dropper tube I2 is provided with a bead or flange 21 adapted, when the device is assembled, to engage groove 24. The base of elastic device II is provided with an aperture 28 in communication with the interior of bulb 2], the base portion of flange 22 being chamiered as at 29 adjacent aperture 28.

Dropper tube I2 has adjacent its upper extremity a circumferential groove ;30 so positioned as ,to :locate the bead or ,fiange .21 at a height slightly less than that of groove .24.

.In assembling the device a conventional assembly machine is utilized, comprised of a =rotating disc in suitable apertures of which a plurality of the caps I0 are mechanically positioned, base upward. Operators insert bulb elements therein and as the disc is rotated mechanical means grip the bulb pulling the same into assembled position, with protuberance 23 seated on one side of the top wall It andflange 22 engaging the other side thereof. Dropper tubes I2 are next mechanically inserted through apertures 28, chamfer 29 serving as a centering guide, until bead 21 engages grooves 24, whereupon the device now completely assembled in. relatively rigid fashion is discharged from the machine.

The invention is primarily utilized with a medicine contained within the glass or other bottle or receptacle I3. To this end the bulb 2| is compressed and released to draw the medicine into the dropper tube l2 while the-cap I0 is detached from the bottle I3. Further pressure on the bulb will then expel the medicine for application.

The construction is such that upon contraction of the bulb 2| for the purpose of drawing medicine into the dropper tube I2, the interior annular rib 26 is forced downwardly against the bead 21 of the dropper tube l2 causing through the bevel 25 a stress in a downward direction to firmly retain the dropper tube l2 within the.

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groove 24. An additional stress is simultaneously produced by bending of the rubber member so that protuberance 23 exerts pressure in an opposite direction against the inner portion of horizontal plane 20 of the metal cap it? at its point of contact and at the same time exerting inward stress to cause the wall of aperture 28 to compress very tightly about the enclosed portion, groove'3li, of the dropper tube l2. It will be realized that a relatively Wide double-ended compressing portion is produced at the base of the bulb which partakes of the combined thicknesses of the flanges 23 and 25 as well ,as that part of the wall of the bulb to which they are connected, and that such'flanges and part are intersected by the inclined surface of 'a' cone whose base is that of the body and whose apex is located above the flange 25.' Such compression is aided by the chamfer 29. By this construction the elastic member ll is caused to hold the dropper tube l2 more tightly during the operations of filling and discharging insuring against accidental disengagement of'the tube from the rubber member when suction and pressure are present.

When the dropper isnot being used the parts return to their normal position as shown in Figure 1 and the flange 22 by reason of its engagement with the upper edge of the bottle l8 forms an efiective seal for the bottle to prevent the escape of the volatile constituents of the medicament contained in said bottle.

We claim:

1. In a closure, an elastic body provided with a hollow bulb, a bottle-neck sealing flange extending laterally and exteriorly at the base of said body having a central opening leading to as the second flange and occupied by said berg, and an interior flange on the bulb above the planes of the first and second flanges engaging the upper surface of the bead, the bulb thereby having a relatively wide double-ended compression portion partaking of the combined thickness of the second and thirdflanges and that part of the wall of the bulb to which they are connected, said second and third flanges and said part being intersected by the inclined surface of a cone whose base is that of the body and whoseapex is located above the third flange.

2. In a closure, a one piece elastic body pro vided with ,a hollow bulb, a bottle-neck sealing flange extending laterally and exteriorly at the base of said body having a central opening leading t'o'the hollow of the bulb, a relatively narrow exterior lateral flange on the bulb above and close to said base, an attaching cap for the body having a portion extending between and retained by said flanges disposed for contact by the second flange when the. bulb is compressed, a dropper tube fitted in said opening having a laterally extending bead at its top, said bulb having an interior annular groove at approximately the same distance above the base of the body as the second flange and occupied by said bead, and an interior flange on the bulb above the planes of the first and second flanges engaging the upper surface of the bead, said third flange being relatively narrow and beveled so that the second flange. will coact with the bead under compression in retaining the dropper tube, said dropper tube having a shoulder spaced fromsaid bead, the first flange around said opening being chamfered and fitted by said shoulder, the bulb due to the construction described having a relatively wide double-ended compression portion partaking of the combined thickness of thesecond and third flanges and that part of the wall of the bulb to which they are connected, said second and third flanges and said part being intersected by the inclined surface of a cone whose base is that of the body and whose apex is located above the third flange.

ROBERT E. MCCUISTON.

HERMAN 0. WEST. 

